horstman



March 3, 1964 A. J. HORSTMAN 3,123,113

, HYDRAULIC BARKER Filed April 2, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

A/vrm/ J. mam/v- ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 A. J. HORSTMAN HYDRAULIC BARKER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1959 4 1/ III lil l J U 1N VEN TOR. ,qlvTo/y J. )(0 RS TMHN BY ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 A. J. HORSTMAN 3,123,113

HYDRAULIC BARKER Filed April 2, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. fi/VTON d. Hons TMHN fh w ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,123,113 HYDRAULEC BARKER Anton I. Horstman, Springfield, Ghio, assignor to The Bauer Bros. Co., Springfield, (thin, a corporation of ()hio Filed Apr. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 393,784 1 Claim. (or. 144-268) This invention relates to improvement in means and methods for debarkirrg pulpwood logs and is particularly directed to an improved hydraulic barking system and apparatus.

Hydraulic barking has been recognized as superior to other barking methods avaidable to date. Though it requires considerable more powder than other methods, it provides the cleanest pulp with the least wood loss in the process. Moreover, the hydraulic barker requires less plant area than "comparable drum barking apparatus and maintenance costs are a minimum.

However, in spite of the superiority of the hydraulic method of barking pulpwood logs engineering problems have developed in the use thereof, particularly where logs are non-uniform in size and proportion. In prior art barking systems logs are handled individually and fed in tandem. It has proven difhcult to maintain a high production rate when the logs are small in diameter. Also, crooked, buried and knotted logs, which are often present in large percentage, cause many interruptions in the systems provided. it is particularly difficult to hold small logs fed in tandem against the impact of high velocity water jets as provided in conventional hydraulic barking.

The present invention provides a desirable solution to the above problems relating to hydraulic barking. It develops an improved hydraulic barking system and apparatus capable of efiiciently and efiectively barking logs, irrespective of non-unfior-mity in size and configuration. It substantially increases production capacity and substantially decreases unit power consumption Thus the invention enables substantial economies in the barking art at well as increases the capability and scope of application of the superior hydraulic barking system.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as Well as the means and mode of operation of hydraulic barkers, whereby such barkers may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efiioient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of application, and be unlikely to get out of order.

A further object of the invention is to improve apparatus for hydraulic barking.

Another object of the invention is to improve methods of hydraulically barking pulpwood logs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic barking system and apparatus which will readily and efiiciently accommodate logs of all size, shape and character.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic barker possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described Patented Mar. 3, 1964 or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is an elevation view illustrating the invention method and apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the entrance end of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the conveyor structure of FIG. 1 taken on line 33 thereof, the relative position of the hydraulic heads being shown diagrammatically with respect thereto; and

FIG. 4 is a generally schematic sectional view of the hydraulic head as employed in the invention apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conveyor housing 1 is shown which is generally rectangular in character. Parallel beams 2 run longitudinally under the housing 1 to either side to provide a base support therefor. A rectangular opening 3 in the feed end 4 of the housing 1 is defined at its sides by generally triangular projecting plate elements 6. A plate '7 bridges the plates 6 to the under side thereof.

A pair of parallel truss type vertical supports 8 mount longitudinally within the housing 1 over beams 2 and in alignment with the opening 3. The supports 8 are respectively spaced inwardly of the respective sides of the opening 3. Uppenmost portions of the supports 8 project between the side plates 6. A shaft 9 transversely connects and bears in the projecting portions of the supports 8 and mounts pulley members It} in transversely spaced relation thereon. Spaced substantially inwardly of the housing 1 from the opening 3, the supports 8 are bridged by a relatively rotatable second shaft 11 which is parallel to the shaft 9. Pulleys 12 are provided on shaft 11 respectively aligned with the pulleys it) on shaft 9. Endless belts 13 connect the respective pairs of longitudinally aligned pulleys it? and 12.

Mounted over the supports 8 intermediate the pulleys it and 12 is a rectangular horizontally disposed firarne work 14 including transverse bars supporting parallel channel structures 15 respectively receiving and guiding the upper run of one of the endless belts 13. Dog or pusher plates 16, transversely disposed, are mounted on the belts 13 at spaced intervals to project therefrom relatively inclined in the direction that the belts are driven. A drive motor 17 is suitably connected to shaft 9 to drive belts 13 in a manner believed obvious and for purposes to be i urther described.

Depending from the top 11 of the housing 1 are three triangularly spaced rotary heads 18 positioned intermediate the extremities of the belts 13. Two of the heads 13 are transversely aligned and form an isosceles triangle with the third, which is positioned nearest the opening 3 and intermediate the belts 13.

The assemblies supporting the heads 18 are conventional and will merely be described in sufiicient detail to illustrate their application in the present invention. Each of the heads 18 forms -a depending extension of and is supported by a shaft 19 (FIG. 4) which has a longi tudinal hollow at its depending end in communication with the connected head. Shaft 19 is bearingly supported in a confining sleeve type housing 29'. A pipe section 21 connects to define a lateral opening in the housing 26 and communicates with the upper end of the hollow in shaft 19 through slots 22 spaced circumferentially of the shaft. Suitable means are provided for introducing water under pressure through pipe 21 to the hollow in shaft 19 to be axially directed down through the shaft to its lowermost extremity to which is connected a head 18. Each head 18 is connected to form a depending extension of a shaft 19. The cross-section of the head 13 provides a central passage 13 branched to provide spaced convergent channels 23 at the lower end of the head. Jet defining units 24 mount in the opening of each channel 23 from each head 18 to provide spaced convergent jet nozzles insuring high velocity jets of water from the rotary head in operation. Drive pulleys 25 mount in fixed relation about the upper end of each shaft 19 and are conjointly driven from suitable motor means which are not shown, since not pertinent to the details of the invention.

It may be readily seen that upon drive of the pulleys 25 the shafts 19 will be driven at a selective speed to cause the water directed through the shafts to be flung from the jets in the heads 18 at a high velocity and with high impact force over a concentrated area within the housing.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, a feed conveyor 27 may be provided in longitudinal alignment with the belts 13 within the housing by means of which logs may be introduced transversely disposed relative the housing between plates 6 and through the opening 3.

As the logs are moved to the endless belts 13 in transverse relation to the housing 1, they are individually picked up by the spaced pusher plates 16 which carry them forwardly within the housing and successively advance them under the spinning rotor heads 13. The engagement of the respective logs by the forwardly inclined pusher plates 1% establishes a relatively fixed relation thereof with respect to belts 13 which is maintained the length of their travel. The first spinning rotor 18 is centrally of the belts 13 so that the jets of water issuing therefrom hit the center of the logs with high impact force to cleanly and efficiently strip the bark therefrom. The logs then are advanced under the transversely aligned rotor heads 18 to have centrifugally impressed water jets strike their respective ends. This removes all the rema ning bark accessible from the top of the log. At this point 80% of the bark in each log has been removed. It may be readily seen that a plurality of logs are simultaneously and effectively handled irrespective of their the entrance opening 33 and is similarly defined at its sides by parallel, outwardly projecting, generally triangular plates 33.

A rubber hold-down wheel 31 is rotatably mounte on the extremity of an arm 32 pivotally mounted to a bracket 33 fixed to the top of the housing 1. A spring 34 is connected between a bracket on the top 11 of the housing and the arm 32 to constantly urge the roller 31 through the medium of the arm 32 in a direction downwardly within the housing. The roller is so positioned to be biased to engage the upper forwardmost portion of each log as it is advanced to the innermost extremities of the belts 13. This influences a slight clockwise rotation of each log, noting FIG. 1, as it moves off the endless belts 13. Spaced forwardly of the innermost extremity of the belts 13 the supports 8 are transversely connected by a relatively rotatable shaft 35' mounting transversely spaced pulleys 36 respectively longitudinally aligned with the pulleys 12. The supports 8 have their extremities remote from the opening 3 projecting outwardly through the exit opening 29 between plates 34) and connected by a relatively rotatable shaft 37 mounting transversely spaced pulleys 38 respectively aligned with pulleys 36. Endless belts 39 connect the respective pairs of pulleys 36 and 33 in the manner believed obvious and are provided with transversely arranged pusher plates 49 disposed in the manner of the pusher plates on the belts 13. Suitable motor drive means 1 are provided to drive shaft 37 and thereby the endless belts 39 in a manner believed obvious. The frame work 14- extends to provide parallel guide channel structures 43 respectively receiving and guiding the upper runs of the endless belts 39.

To the bottom of the housing 1, adjacent the exit end 28, a ramp type structure 2 's is provided inclined downwardly to the base towards the entrance end of the housing. Mount d in transversely spaced relation on the ramp structure of 4-4 are a series of high velocity jet nozzles 48, the outlets of which are angularly directed in the space between the adjacent extremities of belts 13 and 39, slightly in advance of the vertically spaced holddown roller 31. Water under pressure is suitably connected to the nozzles.

Thus, as the logs are successively moved ofi the belts 13 they are caused to have a slight clockwise rotation, as shown, by means of the biased hold-down roller 31 to expose their under portions which have not been barked to the high impact force of high velocity jets of water from the nozzles 43. This qui kly completes the removal of all the bark from the bottom of the logs. The logs are fed in closely following relation and are pushed forward on the frame work 14 from the belts 13 to be engaged by the pusher plates 4% on the belts 39 and carried outwardly through the exit opening 29 in the housing between plates 34 to be suitably received and conveyed therefrom, completely stripped of all bark in a quick and efficient manner.

It may be thus seen that the invention apparatus and system provides a simple structure affording maximum efiiciency in barking logs. The logs are quickly successively delivered, transversely disposed relative the housing, in closely following fashion, to be picked up by the endless belts 13 and first having their central areas completely stripped at the portions accessible from the top by the high velocity, high impact jets from the first head 13 and then have their respective ends simultaneously and cleanly stripped by high velocity, high impact jets from the transversely aligned rotary heads 18. From there, the hold-down roller 31 causes the slight clockwise rotation of the logs as seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings to expose the entire remaining under bark to the high velocity jets 48 projected between the belts 13 and 30, to completely strip all remaining bark thereby. The clean logs are quickly and efficiently delivered from the housing. The improved apparatus and system provides complete automatic loading and unloading of the logs. As compared to drum barkers there is a substantial reduction in wood loss and a highly increased rate of production as compared to prior hydraulic barkers. The present invention provides all the superior points of the hydraulic barker with sufficient improvement to make them economically sound for all applications and not merely for limited applications. The provision of the continuously moving logs disposed crosswise of the apparatus avoids operational complications and increases production.

By the invention, in addition to providing a high level of a pulp cleanliness generally associated with hydraulic barking, the particular disposition of the rotary barker heads has shown a proven ability to thoroughly clean the bark even around knots and in crevices. This is due to the disposition of the heads and further due to the fact that each head has nozzles, each operating on logs from a different angle. As a result a knot or crevice edge cannot create a protective shadow which would not be penetrated by at least a portion of the jets. Thus, substantial advance has been provided in the art.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any or" its a vantages.

While in order to comply with the statutes the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

Barking apparatus including conveyor means having means to move logs therewith in transversely disposed relation thereon and maintain a relatively fixed exposure thereof, a plurality of rotary jet heads operatively related to said conveyor means and having convergent jet nozzles positioned over said conveyor means and respectively directed at different selected portions of the exposed surface of each of the logs as they move thereby, said heads being arranged in a generally triangular pattern for successively sectionally stripping each log and simultaneously operating on a plurality of logs to strip selected portions of the bark therefrom, and means beyond said jet heads for automatically inducing exposure of previously unexposed portions of said logs for completion of the bark stripping operation as they are discharged from said conveyor means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,599,962 Williford June 10, 1952 2,605,794 Guettler Aug. 5, 1952 2,664,929 Simons Ian. 5, 1954 2,665,721 Busch Jan. 12, 1954 2,687,152 Hansel Aug. 24, 1954 2,695,194 Hartwig Nov. 22, 1954 2,794,465 Gyllenberg June 4, 1957 2,893,446 Humphrey July 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,190 Norway Apr. 2, 1900 

